27, 28 and 29 May 2015
During a routine inspection
The inspection was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice that we were starting our inspection because we wanted key people to be available.
AliMo Care Ltd provides a domiciliary care service to people in their own homes who live in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. They predominantly provide a service to older people but do support some younger people with physical disabilities. At the time of the inspection the service was providing a service to 37 people and there was a team of 31 care staff.
There was a registered manager in post at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.
We have recommended that the registered provider seek advice and guidance from a reputable source in order to ensure that the voice of people being supported and the staff team is heard and used to plan on-going improvements to the service. The registered provider had a plan for expanding the service however the current arrangements for assessing the quality and safety of the service was inconsistent and did not include all aspects of the running of the service.
People said they felt safe with the care staff who visited them. Care staff received safeguarding training as part of their mandatory training. They were aware of safeguarding issues and knew to report any concerns they had to the registered manager, the local authority or the Care Quality Commission. Care staff were recruited using safe recruitment procedures and this ensured that unsuitable staff were not employed. Management plans were put in place where risks had been identified in order to reduce or eliminate that risk.
People were looked after by care staff who had received the appropriate training and support. Staff were supported to undertake their roles effectively and were monitored regularly to ensure they provided a service that met people’s needs. People were involved in setting up the service and received the care and support they expected. Care staff were knowledgeable about the people they visited and spoke about them respectfully. People were provided with the support they needed with nutrition and fluids and were supported to access health care services if needed.
People were looked after by a small number of care staff because of the way the visits were organised. The care staff had good working relationships with the staff that supported them. People were treated with kindness and respect and were always included in making decisions about their daily lives.
Assessment and care planning processes ensured each person received the service they needed and met their individual needs. Their preferences and choices were respected. People were provided a copy of their care and support plan. People felt able to raise any concerns they may have and had been provided with a copy of the service’s complaints procedure.